Three business partners came together and the result was Hillcroft Nursing Homes...

At the height of a recession in the late 1980s construction work was hard to come by so Brian Pinington, David Pinington and John Ayrton, all from Pinington Construction, decided to buy a piece of land in Carnforth.

Interest rates had soared from five per cent to 15 per cent and with a shortage of work it was a worrying time.

The land was purchased in 1989 and the power trio had high hopes. The Architect, Mr Ward, accompanied Mr Ayrton to the site in Carnforth and assured him that it was indeed the perfect site for a nursing home and it wasn’t long before planning permission was granted for a 66-bed establishment.

Initially the intention was to build a fantastic nursing home and sell it on, but soon the trio became much more passionate about providing the best in care.

During construction of the nursing home Mr Ayrton met David Riley who got him interested in developing the unit and introduced him to a nurse called Jackie Bolton. She promised Mr Ayrton that she could have the home fully occupied within three months and they could easily run it themselves.

John Ayrton said: “From then on we never looked back and in July 1991 we welcomed our first resident.”

“Lord Cecil Parkinson officially opened it in October as he was born and bred in Carnforth in the terrace houses opposite Hillcroft.”

Once everything was up and running it wasn’t long before they set their sights on another project and in 1993 the Hillcroft Nursing Home in Caton was opened.

Shoot forward 25 years and they now proudly own six – all within the local community.

Mr Ayrton added: “I only have one regret and that is I wish I was 56 and not 76 as time for me is running out but I am still as enthusiastic that Hillcroft remain number one in the area and maintain its high standards.